Quality Supply and Installation of Solar Systems
The quality supply and installation of solar water heating systems can be split into three parts:
- Complying solar water heating systems – systems that are manufactured or imported and meet the standards for manufacture
- Suppliers accredited for the supply and installation of complying solar water heating systems
- Approved installers
Distributors of solar water heating systems may be an importer or the manufacturer. In New Zealand a number of distributors are the manufacturer of their own branded product by way of purchasing system components and combining them to make an integrated system. A list of distributors with complying systems are listed below. The requirements for listing as a complying system are set out here.
Suppliers who are accredited for the supply and installation of solar water heating systems have provided documentation that indicates their experience and competence to supply and install the complying systems and their installation practices comply with the Code of Practice for SWH Manufacture and Installation in New Zealand. An independent SWH Accreditation Administrator has reviewed the material provided and has approved their application. However accreditation offers no guarantee that suppliers or their Approved Installers meet those requirements. Purchasers should ensure that their SWH system is installed within the requirements set out in the Code of Practice available here. The criteria for accreditation are also available here.
A supplier is only accredited for the supply of Complying Solar Water Heating Product and accreditation only applies when the installation is undertaken by their Approved Installers. Accreditation does not cover product that is sold for installation by anyone who is not an Approved Installer. Where installation is custom built by connection of collector, pump and controller to an existing hot water cylinder the solar system components must be named and listed Complying Product.
Agents, distributors and Approved installers listed under the accredited supplier's name have not been individually accredited. These parties operate under the named Accredited Supplier's training and quality systems and for the purposes of accreditation are considered as installers only for the Accredited Supplier.